I will be interested to see the replies on this one just to satisfy my curiosity. I can share the experience of several years of 16's in the surf off Assateague Island (when they used to allow us there). Basically, if we had a tramp up front, we would have been CREAMED!!

For example, one of our buddies had a Playmate cooler attached to the dolphin striker- it didn't take much of an oncoming wave to pick up the front and almost flip the boat over backwards. Quick thinking and strong men prevented a potential disaster. I will say this--those hobies can take some abuse!!!

So- we're skiing and boarding already- I'll have to read here and dream...

_________________The fact that this windy world is largely covered in water obviously means that man was meant to sail.

Enough wave to come over the bows will make the boat wallow while the water drains off the trampolines. At least the forward mesh is of a wide mesh material that drains well. Could be worse sailing in. When we were developing the 21 Sport Cruiser (first to have a forward tramp) we had a mesh that was much more open than the standard main tramp mesh, but not what we have now. I just about pitch polled the boat a bunch of times on Key Biscane bay during a decent day. There was a steep, short duration swell running down the bay that would pick up the sterns and drive the bows down... the forward tramp would act like a sea anchor and nearly cause a pitch pole.

I would remove the forward tramp for conditions like that and likely for any sizeable surf

Looking through some old photos I realize that getting out through the surf and coming back in- and hauling the boat above the tide-line can be an athletic proposition. I wonder if the Getaway is too heavy to man-handle like this crew is doing with my friends H16 #6100 while our boat sits in the background

This photo gives you an idea of how low the cross bar actually is while you are dipping into a wave headed out- note how "low" the boat looks in the water. If my wife reads this, note how small my butt was back then

I have tackled some serious and erratic surf on Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada. Never go alone. Get out on foot well beyond that sandbar. Your crew must be as graceful as a cat with the brains/attitude of a gorilla. The hulls are so large and light that as long as that gorilla keeps his toes curled around the front crossbar you will be ok, but he/she must resist the urge to bail or move back. The front tramp drains really well. After you clear your first swell you must bear off asap so get those rudders locked in asap. Watch a pro first, then do a few dry runs and GO FOR IT!!
I tried to drag my Getaway over the iceheads for a winter sail this week but I my huskies took off when they saw the polar bears! Anyone had luck tying a harness to a pola bear?
Heres to a early spring.